ST. LOUIS, Mo. (CBSMiami.com) – Miami Dolphins fans hoping to see football this season may have been just handed an audible by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate court overruled a lower court’s judge’s ruling lifting the NFL lockout, meaning the lockout is legal.

In plain terms, as the NFL and the National Football League Players Association near an agreement on a collective bargaining agreement; there is a new dynamic between the two sides. The owners now have the upper hand and could try to impose their will on the players.

Still, Dolphins fans shouldn’t begin selling off their season tickets. With a collective bargaining agreement within reach, both sides know the time is now to seal the deal. All signs have continued to point towards a deal being completed by next week.

But, the onus now falls onto NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to keep the owners from trying to dictate a bad deal to the players, despite having a better position to do so with the 8th Circuit’s decision.

Plus, there’s still an anti-trust suit out there that could completely reshape the NFL in a bad manner, so the owners don’t hold all the cards.

If a deal can be completed within the next week; the NFL and its players will save the preseason and most of training camp. It will also mean that free agency will have enough time to help a team like the Dolphins fill out a roster with tons of holes.